National Basketball Association

Under review: Heat stressing defensive improvement from preseason losses

Published Oct. 13, 2014 4:47 p.m. ET

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MIAMI, Fla. -- It may be the second week of training camp for the Miami Heat, but before they can move forward, they're still looking back to last week with plenty of lessons still to be learned in their winless start to the preseason.

Upon their return from Brazil, head coach Erik Spoelstra called his team back into the film room Monday to go over their overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in detail.

After allowing their opponents to average 109 points per game, it's no shock that the focus was on defense and how to improve it.

"We're constantly evaluating where we are in terms of our defense and how much we want to proceed and how much we just want to work on what we've gone over," Spoelstra said. "So today, we drilled all the Cleveland situations again. We're not ready to move on yet. We spent a good two hours on those situations with our defense. It'll take some time."

Spoelstra said the team is not behind schedule, rather that this is part of the natural progression of getting all the players on the same page with his philosophy and system.

"It's not difficult, it's different," he said. "So it's not better or worse, easier or more difficult. That's what this team needs to go through and that's part of the process. I constantly have to evaluate and re-evaluate where we are and what we know before I can move on."

Now in his fifth year in Miami, Chris Bosh sounded weary over the lengthy film sessions but understood that it's necessary considering it's the start a new era.

"Last year, we could hit the ground running," Bosh said. "We knew everything. It was just a quick review and then it was all about getting in shape. Now we have to review, and then after we review, we review some more. Then after we review two times, we still go into a game and mess it up so then we review again. Today, we reviewed that too. It's a process. I think this group is very attentive. We're going to get better as time goes on."

Also being reviewed is the point guard rotation.

Spoelstra downplayed the decision to start Norris Cole instead of Mario Chalmers in the past two games. He said there wasn't much to read into it, although he acknowledged how it could appear otherwise.

"That's not anymore then me looking at rotations, really, and I realize from the outside that that can be perceived as something different," he said. "I'm just trying to look at different combinations and I still plan on starting Rio a couple of games in the preseason."

Given Chalmers' ability to play as a hybrid guard off the bench, Spoelstra might be intrigued at the possibilities of giving the bench some more firepower to go along with his point guard play, while also retaining the flexibility of him being able to spell Dwyane Wade.

The Heat's options at shooting guard are thin, with just journeyman Shannon Brown and undrafted rookies Tyler Johnson and Andre Dawkins in the mix.

"That's one layer of it, but there are quite a few things I have to figure out in terms of our guys and different lineups," Spoelstra said.

With the void left by the departure of LeBron James, who was the team's primary ball handler throughout most of his four seasons in Miami, it's crucial that the team gets steady play from their point guards. Chalmers and Cole haven't exactly thrived in their experimental roles, though they have been playing limited minutes.

Rookie Shabazz Napier had his best game so far with 16 points and seven assists against the Cavaliers, but he will need time to settle down and adjust to the speed and rhythm of the NBA.

For his part, Chalmers, who has started in 346 of the 439 games he's played, stayed diplomatic about his unfamiliar role as a reserve.

"To me, it's something that the coach is doing, so it's really not my decision," he said. "I just have to go with what happens."

NOTES: Miami also made roster moves by paring their training camp roster down to 18 players by waiving of Reggie Williams and Chris Johnson on Monday.

Johnson, a 6-foot-11 center who has appeared in 71 career NBA games, was signed as a free agent Sept. 26. He made his lone appearance in the Heat's preseason opener against the New Orleans Pelicans, totaling one rebound, one assist, and one block in six minutes.

Williams, who did not appear in a game with the Heat, is a five-year NBA veteran who was signed Aug. 12.

NBA teams can have a maximum of 20 players during the preseason and can retain at most 15 players for their regular season roster.

You can follow Surya Fernandez on Twitter @SuryaHeatNBA or email him at SuryaFoxSports@gmail.com.

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